This letter was written to the "Saints who are in Ephesus" (v.1). In otherwords the church there. Ephesus was an important city to Paul. Here he had laboured, watched, and wept, for both the community and individuals for three years. He is now about to reinforce the saints on what it means to be the church, the body of Christ, and their standing and position because of what Christ has done for them.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,” (vv.7-8)
In Him we have redemption through His blood: The Him is the Beloved of Ephesians 1:6. In Him we have redemption and nowhere else. There is no possible redemption outside of Jesus and His redeeming blood. Redemption conveys the idea of delivering a man from a situation that he is totally powerless to liberate himself from. It is releasing someone from a penalty they could never pay. That’s the picture Paul is painting in this verse. Jesus paid the price for our freedom with His own blood. It was a sacrifice that cost Him His life, but provided life for us – something we could never do for ourselves.
Why? Why would Jesus do that? Paul gives us the reason right here in our text; it was “according to the riches of His grace.” We have redemption, forgiveness, and freedom because of the free gift of God’s GRACE . It is not a “small” redemption or forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross. It is immense. And the thing is, you must bewilling to receive it. (See the prayer, “Connect With God,” to the right of this page and receive His gift of redemption today).
Many think it is unwise of God to lavish such redemption and forgiveness on guilty sinners. But it was in His wisdom and prudence that He gave this to us (v.8). That we might become adopted sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved (vv.3-6). Then as as sons we become heirs and in Him we obtaine an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory (vv.11-12).
All this becomes available to "whosoever believes" in Him (John 3:16). For believers, Jesus is not a judge, but the One in whom we have an inheritance. Then, having believed, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory (vv.13-14).
The Truth: “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
